Get your sessions covered
Direct Billing Counselling in Vancouver:
Using your Extended Health Benefits
some of our favourite partnerships so far
some of our favourite partnerships so far
some of our favourite partnerships so far
some of our favourite partnerships so far
Direct Billing Insurance Providers
Most universities and extended health benefits providers cover counselling services rendered by a Registered Clinical Counsellor (RCC). However, individual plans differ, so please check with your provider to confirm.
Venturous Counselling can directly bill counselling sessions to: AGA Financial Group Inc., Autism Funding, Belair Direct, Beneva, BPA (Benefit Plan Administrators), Canada Life, Canadian Construction Workers Union, Chamber of Commerce, CINUP, ClaimSecure, Coughlin, Cowan, Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP), Desjardins, Equitable, First Canadian Insurance, First Nations Health Authority (FNHA — sessions with Abby Chow only), GMS, GreenShield Canada, Group Health, Group Source, IA Financial Group, ICBC (Enhanced Care), Johnston Group, Labourers International Union of North America, Manulife, Maximum Benefit, MDM Insurance, Pacific Blue Cross, People Corporation, Simply Benefits, Sun Life / Lumino Health, The Public Service Health Care Plan, Union Benefits, UV Insurance, and WorkBC.
Please note, insurers accept direct billing on an individual plan basis. That means, even if our services are covered, your particular plan may not allow us to direct bill for you. After your first session, we’ll submit a direct bill request and confirm with you whether or not your plan qualifies.
Insurance Providers that Cover RCCs
In addition to the list above, some insurance providers cover counselling with Registered Clinical Counsellors but require clients to submit their receipts directly, rather than allowing therapy practices to direct bill on their behalf. If your plan is with D.A. Townley, Empire Life, GMS Carrier 49, GMS Carrier 50, Johnson Inc., LiUNA Local 183, LiUNA Local 506, Manion, Medavie Blue Cross, MEDIC Construction, RWAM Insurance Administrators, SSQ Insurance, or TELUS AdjudiCare, your sessions can be reimbursed with the detailed receipt we send after every session. Processing times vary by insurer but generally complete within 5-10 business days.
If your insurance provider isn’t listed anywhere on this page, email us.
The Process
How direct billing counselling works at Venturous
Access online therapy in BC, in-person therapy in Vancouver, in-person therapy in Port Moody and nature-based therapy in Vancouver, Burnaby & Port Moody with your sessions covered through direct billing and extended health.
Step 1: Mention direct billing during your free consult
When you book your free 15-minute video consultation with one of our associates, let them know you’d like to use direct billing. That’s the only thing you need to do to start the process.
Step 2: Your counsellor will send you a direct billing authorization form
After the consult, your counsellor will email you a direct billing authorization form. You’ll fill in your insurance details (provider name, policy/ID number, and any dependent information if you’re on someone else’s plan), sign it, and send it back before your first session.
Step 3: We submit the direct bill after your first session
Once your first session wraps, our team submits the direct bill request to your insurance provider on your behalf.
Step 4: We email you the coverage result
Within a few business days, you’ll receive an email letting you know one of two outcomes — partially covered or your plan doesn’t allow direct billing.
If you’re fully covered, you will not receive an email from us until your coverage has been completely used. Details on each outcome are below.
What happens after direct billing
Outcome 1: Fully covered
Your plan covers direct billing at the full session rate. Going forward, you won’t need to pay anything out of pocket at the time of session until your benefits are completed.
Outcome 2: Partially covered
Your plan covers a portion of each session — for example, $120 of a $160 session. Going forward, we’ll direct bill the covered portion and automatically charge the remaining balance to the card on file. You’ll receive a detailed receipt each session showing what was covered and what wasn’t.
Outcome 3: Your plan doesn’t allow direct billing
Sometimes a plan covers counselling but requires you to submit for reimbursement yourself, even when the insurer generally accepts direct billing. If this happens, we’ll let you know, and your card on file will be charged. Every session receipt we send includes all the details you need to submit to your insurer for reimbursement.
If you believe your plan should allow direct billing but our request came back denied: contact your insurance provider directly to confirm your plan’s setup. Sometimes coverage details need to be updated on their end before we can submit successfully.
Prefer to submit for reimbursement yourself?
You don’t have to use direct billing to use your benefits with Venturous. After every session, you’ll receive a detailed receipt with everything your insurance provider needs — your counsellor’s RCC number, session date, session fee, and services rendered. You can submit this receipt to your provider through their app, portal, or claim form.
Good to know
Extended health benefits counselling: what your plan usually covers
Extended health benefits plans vary widely, but there are a few things common to all plans worth understanding before your first session.
Practitioner type. Most plans cover Registered Clinical Counsellors (RCC), but some only cover Registered Psychologists or Registered Social Workers. All of our associates are RCCs with the exception of intern counsellors.
Annual limits and session caps. Most extended health plans cap counselling at a specific dollar amount per year (commonly $500–$2,500) or a fixed number of sessions. Once you hit the cap, coverage resets on your plan’s renewal date.
Deductibles. Some plans require you to spend a certain amount out of pocket before coverage kicks in. If this is true of your plan, we’ll let you know the amount of the deductible in a detailed screenshot that we email you after your first direct billing counselling session.
Coordination of benefits. If you’re covered under two or more plans (multiple jobs, yours and spouse’s or parents, for example), we can attempt to bill to multiple plans. This is also determined per plan basis; some plans only allow reimbursement to one plan at a time. We’ll let you know this result via email after your first session if this applies to you.
Pre-approval. A small number of plans require pre-approval before starting mental health services. If you’re unsure, ask your insurance provider directly before booking. We can support you through the pre-approval process by providing information and documentation. Please let your counsellor know if you require this information.
For a fuller breakdown of what to do when your benefits run out, see What to do when your counselling benefits run out in BC.
ICBC Counselling
Even if your physical injuries seem minor, the emotional and psychological impact from a car accident can be profound. ICBC’s Enhanced Care system covers everyone involved in a motor vehicle accident in BC, regardless of who caused the crash. This includes pre-approved mental health support with recognized providers. We work directly with ICBC to advocate for the care you deserve.
CVAP Counselling
Surviving crime changes everything. It can fundamentally shift your view of and relationship with the world around you, bringing up grief, hyper-vigilance and other stressors, emotionally or otherwise. The Crime Victim Assistance Program (CVAP) provides financial assistance for counselling services along with other eligible expenses. We offer full application assistance to get you connected with trauma-informed, context-aware support.
WorkBC Counselling
If you’re accessing WorkBC services, counselling support might be available to help you navigate career transitions, workplace challenges, or barriers to employment. We’re here to support your professional and personal growth journey, acknowledging the impact of capitalism and ableism when it comes to securing sustainable and fulfilling employment opportunities.
Counselling through Autism Funding BC
When you’re living with autism, you’re constantly required to navigate a world that wasn’t designed with you in mind. You’re advocating at school, explaining your child’s needs to family members who don’t quite get it, and maybe losing sleep wondering if you’re making the right choices. We provide specialized support for individuals and families accessing autism-related counselling services, supporting you and your family in meaningful therapeutic work.
Get Matched
Find Your Best-Fit Counsellor
We offer direct billing to select insurance providers & funded programs. Start with a free 15-minute video conversation or get your personalized recommendations straight to your inbox, with this 3-minute form.
Explore this Topic
Navigating counselling coverage in BC can feel like its own source of stress. These articles break down how direct billing works, what your benefits actually cover, and what to do when they run out.
- Direct billing counselling in Vancouver explained: how it works and what to expect
- Pacific Blue Cross counselling coverage in BC: what’s included and how to use it
- EFAP vs extended health benefits for counselling: understanding the difference and choosing what fits
- Choosing a counsellor of your choice in BC: your right to pick who you work with
- Counselling benefits for BC teachers, nurses, and public sector workers
- What to do when your counselling benefits run out in BC
- Counselling benefits for BC bank and credit union employees
- Extended health benefits for counselling in BC: a complete guide to what’s covered
We are uninvited settlers
occupying the stolen, ancestral territories of the xʷməθkwəy̓əm (Musqueam), Skwxwú7mesh (Squamish), S’ólh Téméxw (Stó:lō), Səl̓ílwətaʔ/Selilwitulh (Tsleil-Waututh), Qayqayt, and kʷikʷəƛ̓əm (Kwikwetlem) peoples. Our relationship with these lands dictates our commitment to understanding and responding to the ongoing impacts of colonization in our practices in and out of the counselling room.
Learn more about the land you’re occupying at native-land.ca